


The Silence Spectrum

by stjarna



Series: Fitzsimmons Appreciation Week (Sept. 12-18, 2016) [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate story set in Season 3, Angst, Daisy is not swayed, F/M, Feels, Fitzsimmons Appreciation Week, Prose format in Chapter 3, Screenplay/Script Format, Silence, Slightly open but hopeful ending, Tumblr: thefitzsimmonsnetwork, Writing Prompt: Silence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 04:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8042119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna
Summary: After Hive attacks her, Jemma is fighting for her life. Surprised she managed to survive at all, Lincoln theorizes that Jemma is Inhuman. After his theory is confirmed, he suggests to let her go through terrigenesis which may allow her to survive. ...Chapters 1+2 = Screenplay/Script format (see notes)Chapter 3 = Prose version





	1. Previously on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 4 (Quote Day || Writing Prompt: Silence) of Fitzsimmons Appreciation Week Sept. 12-18, 2016 (organized by The Fitzsimmons Network)
> 
> I tried something a little different with this fanfic. I had written the basic story, but felt like I needed to give some backstory. However, I wanted to focus on the “Silence” writing prompt, which (in my mind) meant keeping the backstory short to non-existent. I had the idea of a “Previously on…” recap, and decided in order for it to work, I should write the recap in screenplay format. As a consequence, I changed the rest of the fanfic to screenplay format as well (to keep it uniform). 
> 
> I’m kinda liking it, but for those who find this format too difficult to read and/or prefer prose, skip to Chapter 3, where you will find the original prose version. 
> 
> I would greatly appreciate feedback (especially from those who read the screenplay version or both versions).
> 
> Disclaimer: I’m no expert on screenplay format although I did some research. It actually looked really screenplay-y when I wrote it on my laptop, but then it was difficult to recreate the same format on AO3 so I improvised. Don’t look too closely ;)

We see the "Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." logo zoom into view.

VOICEOVER (COULSON’S VOICE) 

> Previously on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

 

**INT. S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE – COULSON’S OFFICE – DAY**

We CUT to Coulson’s office. Simmons and Lincoln brief Coulson on their progress in developing an antidote against Hive’s enslaving effect on Inhumans. Coulson is standing behind his desk, leaning on it with both hands. Simmons and Lincoln are standing next to each other facing him.

SIMMONS 

> Sir, Lincoln and I believe that the new formula we have developed for the antidote will be effective. All test simulations and tests run on infected tissue from the deceased Inhuman have given us positive results.

LINCOLN 

> Now all we need is a live specimen to test it on.

 

**EXT. HIVE’S SECRET BASE - DAY**

We FLASH CUT to a deserted, dusty street in the deserted, decrepit town that is Hive’s secret base. Simmons is lying on the ground, immobile. Daisy and Lincoln maybe 20 yards away from her. Rooted to the spot. In shock. We see Hive dressed in all black. A long, black, slim-cut coat as his outer layer. His hands extended in the direction of Simmons. Slowly, he lowers his hands and turns around. The coat swings around in slow motion. He disappears into one of the buildings.

The camera ZOOMS IN on Daisy. 

DAISY 

> Oh God. **Jemma!**  

Daisy and Lincoln run to where Simmons is lying. They kneel down next to her. Lincoln feels for her pulse and silently nods at Daisy. 

DAISY (CONT’D) 

> Send a pod. Send a pod **NOW!**

 

**INT. S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE – THE ZEPHYR – CARGO BAY – DAY**

We FLASH CUT to the cargo bay of the Zephyr, which is parked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Base. Coulson, Bobbi, Daisy, and Lincoln are standing outside the rescue pod in which Simmons lies unconscious, her face sweaty and feverish.

COULSON 

> What happened?

DAISY 

> Hive attacked her. He came out of nowhere.

BOBBI

> She’s alive?

LINCOLN

> Yes. Her body seems to be fighting Hive’s virus…for lack of a better word.

COULSON 

> But Hive kills within seconds. No one has survived that.

FITZ  
(yelling off screen) 

> Get out of my way.

Coulson, Bobbi, Daisy, and Lincoln turn their heads in unison.

The camera SHIFTS to the open ramp of the Zephyr. Fitz storms into the cargo hold, pushing aside agents in his way. He stumbles into the rescue pod and kneels down besides Simmons. 

FITZ 

> Jemma! **Jemma!**

He touches her face with his hands, trying to will her back to consciousness.

 

**INT. S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE – THE LAB – NIGHT**

We FLASH CUT to the lab, where Lincoln reports back to Coulson and Bobbi. They are standing next to a computer screen. An animated, rotating DNA helix is visible on the screen, next to explanatory numbers and text. 

LINCOLN 

> It’s like I suspected. She has the inhuman marker. That’s why Hive’s virus didn’t kill her.

COULSON 

> How does this help us? She is getting worse. She’s barely holding on to life.

LINCOLN  

> This might be a long shot, but maybe if we allow her to go through terrigenesis…

BOBBI  

> Have her transform?

LINCOLN  

> For Inhumans, Hive has a very different effect. An effect that—thanks to Jemma—we have an airborne antidote for. We can administer it via the ventilation system of the pod while she transforms.


	2. The Silence Spectrum - Act 1

**INT. S.H.I.E.L.D. BASE – THE ZEPHYR – CARGO BAY – DAY**

The entire team (Coulson, May, Fitz, Daisy, Mack, Bobbi, Hunter, Lincoln) is staring through the large glass window of the white rescue pod on board the Zephyr. The black cocoon has crumbled to the floor. Nothing of her remains. Gone. Disappeared.

The camera ZOOMS OUT and shows the entire cargo bay. Vast. Dark. Empty. Except for the white rescue pod. The people in front of it look small and hopeless.

Silence. Involuntary. Forced on them. Their bodies unable to respond in any other way but silence. Speechless.

The camera ZOOMS to a close-up of Fitz, then SHIFTS to his point of view. His reflection appears in the glass, the shattered remains of the cocoon visible—but out of focus—in the background.

FITZ  
(quietly)

> No.

He stares through the glass window in disbelief.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> No. **No!**

He slams his hands against the glass. His face inches from the window plane. His eyes are tearing up.

FITZ (CONT’D)  
(yelling)

> **Jemma!**

He stares into the empty small room, breathing heavily.

The others take a few steps away from the pod. The camera FOLLOWS them. Coulson addresses Lincoln.

COULSON

> You said she was inhuman; that she had the inhuman marker. That letting her go through terrigenesis would allow her to fight whatever crap Hive infected her with and survive, especially if we simultaneously filled the room with the airborne antidote.

LINCOLN

> She **has** the marker, She **is** inhuman. She should have gone through terrigenesis…

MAY

> Then what went wrong?

LINCOLN

> I don’t kn…

The sound of a sliding door interrupts their conversation. They all turn towards the source of the noise. The camera takes their point of view. It catches a glimpse of Fitz stepping into the pod.

The camera quickly ZOOMS BACK and focuses on Daisy.

DAISY

> Fitz. **No!**

We get a CLOSE-UP of Fitz. He briefly turns is head in the direction of Daisy’s voice, but ignores her words. He looks back into the pod, stares at the black shattered remains of Jemma’s outer shell, searching for something. Anything.

Suddenly, his body is being pushed back out the door by an invisible force. He stumbles backwards and falls to the ground. He tries to sit up and stares at the opening. The camera briefly SHIFTS to the sliding door, which closes in front of Fitz’s eyes. The camera SHIFTS back to Fitz.

Mack appears by Fitz’s side, kneeling down next to him.

MACK

> Turbo, what on earth were you thinking. We have no idea what just happened. You can’t just go in there.

FITZ  
(quietly)

> She’s in there.

MACK

> Turbo… I’m sor…

FITZ  
(more audible)

> She’s in there.

Fitz scrambles to get back up.

FITZ (CONT’D)  
(louder, excited)

> She’s in there. She’s invisible!

Fitz rushes back to the pod and presses the comm button.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> Jemma?

The rest of the team has come closer, curious, wondering, confused.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> Jemma, say something.

Nothing. Silence. Deafening silence. Anticipating. Waiting. Frozen. Holding his breath.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> Jemma? You’re in there. I know you’re in there.

He has tears in his eyes. His fingers pressing the comm button are turning white; they’re trembling.

BOBBI

> The sensor scans of the pod show nothing, Fitz.

Bobbi places her hand on Fitz’s shoulder trying to make him look at the small screens that display the sensor data

BOBBI (CONT’D)

> No heat signature, nothing that points to someone being in there.

Fitz shakes off her hand.

FITZ

> We’re talking inhuman powers. Her powers could shield her from our sensors.

He turns to Coulson.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> Sir, I’m not crazy. Someone pushed me out of that pod. **She** pushed me out of that pod!

Fitz turns his focus back on the comm system.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> Jemma. Please, a sign. Any sign. Please.

Silence. Nobody dares to speak. The collective silence of people hoping for a miracle.

A gentle tap echoes through the comms. Then another. Another.

MAY

> Morse code!

She pauses to listen.

MAY (CONT’D)

> I. am. … here.

The camera ZOOMS IN on Fitz. Tears shoot to his eyes. His legs are unable to support him anymore. He sits down on the floor; hyperventilating. Daisy kneels down next to him, while May takes over the comms.

MAY (CONT’)

> She says: No. voice. … pad.

HUNTER

> Voicepad? What the hell’s that?

Fitz scrambles to get up. He runs down the ramp of the Zephyr and disappears out of sight. The others stare after him, confused and bewildered. The camera FOCUSES on the empty ramp.

Silence. Anticipation.

Fitz returns quickly with a notepad and pencil in hand. Slightly out of breath he walks straight to the safety pass-through chamber opening of the pod. He places both items in the chamber and closes the flap.

FITZ

> That should work for starters.

The flap on the inside of the pod is opened. The notepad and pen seem to float in thin air. The pen is scribbling on the paper as if it was magic. Then the notepad gets pressed against the window.

It reads THANK YOU.

HUNTER

> This is borderline creepy!

Bobbi leans closer to Hunter and whispers into his ear.

BOBBI

> Shut up, Hunter.

COULSON

> So what now?

Coulson takes a few steps away from the pod. Everyone, except Fitz, follows him. The camera STAYS with the group. Fitz and the pod appear blurry in the background.

LINCOLN

> She’s invisible to all sensors. No heat signature, nothing. I’m afraid that probably also means no way of currently running any tests on her.

BOBBI

> Is this permanent?

LINCOLN

> It’s hard to tell. Inhuman powers don’t manifest themselves immediately. It takes time to control them, to learn their scope. As you’ve seen with Lash, sometimes it takes months for the change to become permanent. It is possible that she will be able to change her form. Go from invisibility to visibility, but it’s also possible that this is it.

MACK

> Mute? Why is she mute?

LINCOLN

> This is all guesswork. I have nothing to go by. But looks to me like her powers are ultimate stealth: invisible, inaudible, undetectable.

Three quiet taps can be heard. The noise lets them turn toward the rescue pad. The camera SHIFTS to follow their gaze. Fitz is pointing at the window of the pad. The notepad is pressed against the glass: I CAN HEAR YOU.

We ZOOM BACK to the team.

DAISY

> The comms are not activated.

COULSON

> So her senses seem to be heightened?

MAY

> Ultimate stealth, ultimate spy capabilities.

We CUT from the group to Fitz in front of the rescue pod.

Fitz is standing by the window. He stares at the yellow notepad and the pen, seemingly floating in the air, both on one side, as if someone was holding them in one hand. He looks up to where Jemma’s face should be. He presses his right hand against the window. Slowly, the pad and pen float closer to the window. Then they drop to the floor. He stares into the small cell. Then he looks at his hand pressed against the glass. He swallows, his breathing quickens.

Silence. Focused silence. Concentration. Determination.

He lets go off the window and presses the comm button, never leaving his eyes off the vision his mind has created of her.

FITZ  
(quietly)

> Don’t stop me!

He steps away from the window and walks to the door of the pod. Quickly he enters the keycode. The sliding door opens.

The camera ZOOMS IN on Bobbi who is the only one of the group facing the pod.

BOBBI

> Dammit Fitz! **No!**

Bobbi rushes to the pod, trying to stop him, but he slips into the pod. The rest of the team is right behind her.

We CUT to the inside of the pod. The camera FOCUSES on Fitz. The door closes behind him. He looks outside. We see Coulson grab Bobbi’s arm. The noise-proof walls swallow the sound of Coulson’s voice.

COULSON  
(inaudible)

> Let him.

Coulson looks at Fitz. The camera TAKES Fitz’s point of view.

Silence. Coulson sighs. A hint of a nod. A silent confirmation that even though what Fitz just did was stupid, Coulson knows there was no way to stop him. Coulson turns his back on the pod and gestures. Everyone turns around and leaves. Only two guards are assigned to the pod.

 

**INT. INSIDE THE RESCUE POD – DAY**

We CUT BACK to the inside of the pod. A CLOSE-UP of Fitz.

Silence. Anxiety-inducing silence. The camera slowly ZOOMS OUT to show Fitz in the pod. He turns away from the window to face the empty room. His foot accidentally kicks something. He looks down and sees the notepad and pen that are still lying on the floor. He looks back up.

FITZ  
(quietly)

> Jemma?

Silence. Afraid to breath. Afraid to move. Afraid to miss a sign from her.

FITZ (CONT’D)

> Please.

He feels a tingle against his cheek, a gentle touch. Instinctively he reaches up and presses his hand against the perceived nothingness. His fingers carefully explore her hand, her fingers. He closes his eyes and the camera ZOOMS IN on his face.

We FLASH CUT to a soft-focus vision: Fitz is exactly the same, but Jemma’s hand is visible on his cheek. The scene is engulfed in a warm, dreamy light.

We FLASH CUT back to reality. Tears run down Fitz’s face. His upper body moves slightly forward as if some was reaching around his neck, pulling him close, leaning on him for support.

Silence. Knowing. Silence that doesn’t need words.

He reaches around her invisible body—his eyes still closed—and holds her, quietly.

We FLASH CUT to another soft-focus vision. The lighting warm, peaceful, glimmering: Jemma in Fitz’s embrace. Her arms around his neck. She’s sobbing. Her body quivering. His hand reaches up to stroke her hair.

We FLASH CUT back to reality: Fitz is in the same position. His arm around an invisible body, his hand stroking invisible hair.

The camera slowly CIRCLES around Fitz with nothing and yet something in his embrace. The circles get smaller as we slowly ZOOM IN to a close-up of Fitz’s closed eyes.

Silence.

JEMMA  
(quietly, off screen)

> Fitz.

Fitz’s eyes open abruptly. The camera ZOOMS OUT and reveals Jemma, flesh-and-blood. Fitz loosens his embrace and looks at her.

He smiles.

FITZ

> Jemma.

He cups her face and allows their foreheads to touch. Her hands are resting on his hips. Their faces inches apart, they stare at each other.

Silence. Voluntary. Serene. Shared. Silence that is a conversation in itself. Silence that speaks volumes.

The screen FADES to black. White lettering APPEARS: 

> To communicate through silence is a link between the thoughts of man.   
> – Marcel Marceau


	3. The Silence Spectrum - Prose version

They are staring through the large glass window of the white rescue pod on board the Zephyr. The black cocoon has crumbled to the floor. Nothing of her remains. Gone. Disappeared.

Silence seeps into every corner of the large airplane. Involuntary. Forced on them. Their bodies unable to respond in any other way but silence. Speechless. Their brains trying to process what happened.

“No,” Fitz says quietly in disbelief, “No. **_Nooo!_** ” He presses his hands against the glass. “ ** _Jemma!_** ” He stares into the empty small room, breathing heavily.

The others take a few steps away from the pod.

“You said she was inhuman; that she had the inhuman marker,” Coulson addresses Lincoln, “That letting her go through terrigenesis would allow her to fight whatever crap Hive infected her with and survive, especially if we simultaneously filled the room with the airborne antidote.”

“She _has_ the marker,” Lincoln says somewhat defensively, “She _is_ inhuman. She should have gone through terrigenesis…”  
  
“Then what went wrong?” May interjects.

“I don’t kn…”

The sound of a sliding door interrupts their conversation. They all turn towards the source of the noise and catch a glimpse of Fitz stepping into the pod.

“Fitz. **_No!_** ” Daisy exclaims.

He hears Daisy, but ignores her words. Adrenaline flooding his body, his breathing quick, shallow, his eyes looking at the black shattered remains of Jemma’s outer shell, searching for something. Anything.

Suddenly, he feels a touch, a shove. His mind can’t process what is happening fast enough. His body is being pushed back out the door. He stumbles backwards and falls to the ground. He tries to sit up and stares at the opening. The sliding door closes in front of his eyes just as Mack appears by his side, kneeling down next to him, “Turbo, what on earth were you thinking. We have no idea what just happened. You can’t just go in there.”

“She’s in there,” Fitz mumbles.

“Turbo, I’m sor…” Mack says, trying to comfort his friend.

“She’s in there,” he repeats and scrambles to get back up, “She’s in there. She’s invisible.”

He rushes back to the door and presses the comm button, “Jemma?”

The rest of the team has come closer, curious, wondering, confused.

“Jemma, say something.” he is pleading with the empty room.

Nothing. Silence. Deafening silence. Anticipating. Waiting. Frozen. Holding his breath.

“Jemma? You’re in there. I know you’re in there.” He has tears in his eyes. His fingers pressing the comm button are turning white, as if applying more pressure will make it easier for her voice to be heard.

“The sensor scans of the pod show nothing, Fitz,” Bobbi says and places her hand on Fitz’s shoulder trying to make him look at the small screens that display the sensor data, “No heat signature, nothing that points to someone being in there.”

“We’re talking inhuman powers,” he replies and shakes off her hand, “Her powers could shield her from our sensors.” He turns to Coulson, “Sir, I’m not crazy. Someone pushed me out of that pod. _She_ pushed me out of that pod!”

He turns his focus back on the comm system, “Jemma. Please, a sign. Any sign. Please.”

Silence. Nobody dares to speak. The collective silence of people hoping for a miracle.

A gentle tap echoes through the comms. Then another. Another.

“Morse code!” May exclaims, “I. AM. … HERE.”

Tears shoot to his eyes. The relief of knowing she is alive lets him break down. His legs don’t support him anymore and he sits down on the floor, trying to stop from hyperventilating. Daisy kneels down next to him, while May takes over the comms.

“She says: NO. VOICE. … PAD.”

“Voicepad?” Hunter asks confused, “What the hell’s that?”

Fitz scrambles to get up and runs down the ramp of the Zephyr and to the other end of the hangar.

He returns quickly with a notepad and pencil in hand and walks straight to the safety pass-through chamber opening of the pod. He places both items in the chamber and closes the flap.

“That should work for starters,” he says and watches as the flap on the other side opens.

The notepad and pen seem to float in thin air. The pen scribbling on the paper as if it was magic. Then the notepad gets pressed against the window.

THANK YOU, it reads.

“This is borderline creepy!” Hunter comments.

“Shut up, Hunter,” Bobbi whispers to him.

“So what now?” Coulson addresses the elephant in the room and takes a few steps away from the pod. Everyone, except Fitz, follows him.

“She’s invisible to all sensors,” Lincoln says, “no heat signature, nothing. I’m afraid that probably also means no way of currently running any tests on her.”

“Is this permanent?” Bobbi asks.

“It’s hard to tell,” Lincoln replies, “Inhuman powers don’t manifest themselves immediately. It takes time to control them, to learn their scope. As you’ve seen with Lash, sometimes it takes months for the change to become permanent. It is possible that she will be able to change her form. Go from invisibility to visibility, but it’s also possible that this is it.”

“Mute? Why is she mute?” Mack tries to understand.

“This is all guesswork. I have nothing to go by,” Lincoln responds, “but looks to me like her powers are ultimate stealth: invisible, inaudible, undetectable.”

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The quite noise lets them turn toward the rescue pad. They see Fitz pointing at the window. The notepad is pressed against the glass: I CAN HEAR YOU.

“The comms are not activated,” Daisy comments.

“So her senses seem to be heightened?” Coulson theorizes.

“Ultimate stealth, ultimate spy capabilities,” May comments.

 

* * *

 

Fitz is standing by the window. He drains out the people behind him, arguing, discussing what has happened, what should happen next. He stares at the yellow notepad and the pen, seemingly floating in the air, both on one side, indicating that she’s holding them in one hand. He looks up to where her face should be, her eyes. He’s searching for them, trying to will them into view. He presses his right hand against the window. Slowly, the pad and pen float closer to the window. Then they drop to the floor. He stares into the small cell, and yet his gaze seems to stop only inches away from where he knows her face is. He can sense her, or maybe he just wishes he could. He looks at his hand pressed against the glass. He knows she is doing the same. He knows they’re as close to touching as possible, and yet the fact that he can’t see her, can’t feel her, leaves a trace of painful doubt in his mind. He swallows, his breathing quickens.

They’re not paying attention to him. He’s not paying attention to them. She is all that matters.

Silence. Focused silence.

He knows she is there, and yet his mind is begging for proof, tangible proof. He lets go off the window and presses the comm button, never leaving his eyes off the vision his mind has created of her.

“Don’t stop me!” he says quietly.

He steps away from the window and walks to the door of the pod. Quickly he enters the keycode. The sliding door opens and he slips into the cell, ignoring Bobbi who’s shouting his name, darting to the door to try and stop him. The door closes behind him. He looks outside and sees Coulson grab Bobbi’s arm, the noise-proof walls swallow the sound of Coulson’s voice but it doesn’t take much to read his lips as he tells Bobbi “Let him.”

Coulson looks at Fitz.

Silence. A sigh. A hint of a nod. A silent confirmation that even though what he just did was stupid, Coulson knows there was no way to stop him. Just like there had been no way to stop him from jumping through the portal with no way of knowing what might be waiting on the other side. The Director turns his back on the pod and gestures. Everyone turns around and leaves. Only two guards are assigned to the pod.

Suddenly, he notices the silence. Anxiety-inducing silence. He turns around to face the empty room. His foot accidentally kicks something. He looks down and sees the notepad and pen that are still lying on the floor. He can feel his heart beating, and wishes he could reach into his chest and force it to calm down. He looks back up and whispers “Jemma?”

Silence. Afraid to breath. Afraid to move. Afraid to get to close when she’s not ready. Afraid of forcing her into a corner. Afraid to miss a sign from her.

“Please.”

He feels a tingle against his cheek, a gentle touch. Instinctively he reaches up and presses his hand against the perceived nothingness. He can feel her hand, her fingers. He closes his eyes and allows himself to see her before his inner eye. Tears run down his face. He feels her other hand reaching around his neck, her quivering body sinking against his. He knows she is crying too. He senses her fear, her distress over the unknown, over the change.

Silence. He doesn’t need words. He doesn’t need to hear her voice to know what she feels, what she thinks.

He reaches around her—his eyes still closed—and holds her, quietly. His hand strokes her hair. The shivering subsides, but he holds on to her. Holds her not because he believes _she_ needs it, but because _he_ needs it. He needs confirmation.

He doesn’t know how much time has passed. He doesn’t care.

“Fitz.”

The sound of his name breaks the silence. Startled he opens his eyes. He loosens his embrace and looks at her, her brown eyes, her brown wavy hair, her slender body, _her_.

“Jemma,” he whispers and smiles. His hands reach for her face.

He is holding her face in his hands and allows their foreheads to touch. He can feel her hands on his hips. Their faces inches apart, they stare at each other, hold on to each other.

And once again silence fills the room. A different kind of silence. Voluntary. Serene. Shared. Silence because they don’t need to speak, because their eyes are holding entire conversations with each other, conversations of relief, hope, love, and trust.


End file.
